function bp_get_activity_avatar( $args = '' ) {
		global $activities_template;

		$bp = buddypress();

		// On activity permalink pages, default to the full-size avatar.
		$type_default = bp_is_single_activity() ? 'full' : 'thumb';

		// Within the activity comment loop, the current activity should be set
		// to current_comment. Otherwise, just use activity.
		$current_activity_item = isset( $activities_template->activity->current_comment ) ? $activities_template->activity->current_comment : $activities_template->activity;

		// Activity user display name.
		$dn_default  = isset( $current_activity_item->display_name ) ? $current_activity_item->display_name : '';

		// Prepend some descriptive text to alt.
		$alt_default = !empty( $dn_default ) ? sprintf( __( 'Profile picture of %s', 'buddypress' ), $dn_default ) : __( 'Profile picture', 'buddypress' );

		$defaults = array(
			'alt'     => $alt_default,
			'class'   => 'avatar',
			'email'   => false,
			'type'    => $type_default,
			'user_id' => false
		);

		$r = wp_parse_args( $args, $defaults );
		extract( $r, EXTR_SKIP );

		if ( !isset( $height ) && !isset( $width ) ) {

			// Backpat.
			if ( isset( $bp->avatar->full->height ) || isset( $bp->avatar->thumb->height ) ) {
				$height = ( 'full' == $type ) ? $bp->avatar->full->height : $bp->avatar->thumb->height;
			} else {
				$height = 20;
			}

			// Backpat.
			if ( isset( $bp->avatar->full->width ) || isset( $bp->avatar->thumb->width ) ) {
				$width = ( 'full' == $type ) ? $bp->avatar->full->width : $bp->avatar->thumb->width;
			} else {
				$width = 20;
			}
		}

		/**
		 * Filters the activity avatar object based on current activity item component.
		 *
		 * This is a variable filter dependent on the component used.
		 * Possible hooks are bp_get_activity_avatar_object_blog,
		 * bp_get_activity_avatar_object_group, and bp_get_activity_avatar_object_user.
		 *
		 * @since 1.1.0
		 *
		 * @param string $component Component being displayed.
		 */
		$object  = apply_filters( 'bp_get_activity_avatar_object_' . $current_activity_item->component, 'user' );
		$item_id = !empty( $user_id ) ? $user_id : $current_activity_item->user_id;

		/**
		 * Filters the activity avatar item ID.
		 *
		 * @since 1.2.10
		 *
		 * @param int $item_id Item ID for the activity avatar.
		 */
		$item_id = apply_filters( 'bp_get_activity_avatar_item_id', $item_id );

		// If this is a user object pass the users' email address for Gravatar so we don't have to prefetch it.
		if ( 'user' == $object && empty( $user_id ) && empty( $email ) && isset( $current_activity_item->user_email ) ) {
			$email = $current_activity_item->user_email;
		}

		/**
		 * Filters the value returned by bp_core_fetch_avatar.
		 *
		 * @since 1.1.3
		 *
		 * @param array $value HTML image element containing the activity avatar.
		 */
		return apply_filters( 'bp_get_activity_avatar', bp_core_fetch_avatar( array(
			'item_id' => $item_id,
			'object'  => $object,
			'type'    => $type,
			'alt'     => $alt,
			'class'   => $class,
			'width'   => $width,
			'height'  => $height,
			'email'   => $email
		) ) );
	}